‘We need to capitalize on their mistakes’ Nyck de Vries cynical of AlphaTauri’s ability to score points on merit

The former F2 and current Formula E champion has opened up on AlphaTauri’s recent troubles

‘We need to capitalize on their mistakes’ Nyck de Vries cynical of AlphaTauri’s ability to score points on merit

Nyck de Vries via Speedcafe

AlphaTauri used to be a competitive team, frequently finishing in the points and competing with the likes of the midfield ardently. However, 2022 saw them fall to a new low, with the Italian team finishing only 9th in the World Constructors’ Championship. Number one driver Pierre Gasly departed at the end of 2022, which saw Nyck de Vries secure the seat, partnering with Yuki Tsunoda.

Make no mistake, the talent that AlphaTauri possess in the form of their driver lineup is immense, availing the services of two former Formula 2 champions. However, in 2023 too, their machinery is not meeting expectations. When questioned on the team’s point-scoring prospects, Nyck de Vries said, “We need to make sure we are ready to capitalize on any mistakes made by those who would normally be top 10. While I see signs of progress, Baku demands a lot of straight-line speed, and so far, our straight-line speed has not been that competitive. Let’s wait and see how it works out.”

The Dutchman believes that the Red Bull subsidiaries are making progress, however, given the stiff competition this year, a race with no incidents sees the top 10 occupied by default by the likes of Ferrari, Mercedes, Red Bull, Aston Martin, and Alpine. However, he is optimistic about the events to come, given how unpredictable the sport is.

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AlphaTauri’s struggles have persisted over the last few seasons

de Vries and Tsunoda via F1
de Vries and Tsunoda via F1

AlphaTauri rebranded themselves as such from Toro Rosso to support their sister team, Red Bull’s fashion brand. The team’s recent run in F1 has been torrid since 2021, however. 2022 saw the team fall as low as 9th in the constructors’ championship, beating only Williams. This could have been interpreted as a struggle to cope with the new regulations, and fans had optimistic expectations for 2023.

However, the situation has persisted, with the team scoring a mere point over the first three races, courtesy of Yuki Tsunoda. The car is mediocre, and as de Vries believes, their best hope at the moment of scoring points is a major incident on the front end of the grid.

Team principal Franz Tost has also openly criticized the team’s engineers after their poor start, stating, “Unfortunately, I think it’s currently the performance level of the car, because we expected a much better car.” Tost also claimed he was given positive updates on aerodynamic improvements, but given their poor performances, he has expressed his distrust in the engineers.

Pertinent to this, their new star driver is also underperforming. Nyck de Vries has endured a difficult start to life with his new team. The former F2 and current Formula E champion arrived with high expectations after this masterclass for Williams at Monza 2022, stepping in for Alex Albon. However, he has been miles off the pace of his teammate Tsunoda, finishing 14th in contrast to the Japanese’s 11th in the first two races, along with retiring from the third. The pressure is undoubtedly mounting on him, and his response on track is yet to be seen.

AlphaTauri is making positive progress, having restructured its management, boosting its personnel by hiring Ferrari’s assistant principal Laurent Mekies and upgrading its base at Faenza. The team also rejected an extravagant buyout offer and intended to remain in F1 and make strong progress toward competing in front once again.

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